Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceMonday, July 01, 2002
* First heart transplant in Esfahan
* Newspaper circulation drops sharply
* US earthquake aid on its way
* Law to attract and protect foreign investment
* Iranian refugees rally in Denmark
First Heart Transplant in Esfahan
* Heart surgeon Dr. Masud Moqadas says he performed Esfahan's first heart transplant 10 days ago on a 49-year old patient with an advanced heart condition and only six months to live. The donor was a 22-year-old car accident victim. He tells RFE/RL that the patient is well enough to leave the hospital within a couple of days. Heart transplant operations in Esfahan would help reduce the huge waiting list at the only center for such operations in Tehran. (Fatemeh Aman, Washington)
Mirdamadi Joins in the Murders Investigation Debate
* Head of the Majles national security and foreign relations committee MP Mohsen Mirdamai invited head of the armed forces judiciary Mohammad Niazi to a live televised debate about the handling of the investigation into the 1999 serial murders of political dissidents and journalists by intelligence ministry agents. Mirdamadi's offer comes two days after Niazi invited intelligence minister Ali Yunesi to a TV debate on the same subject. (Siavash Ardalan)
Press Circulation Rates Drop Sharply
* Total circulation of newspapers has dropped sharply, according to a survey by the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance. Government newspapers Iran, Hamshahri and Jam-e Jam top the list, each with a circulation above 250,000. Tehran-based journalist Sina Motalebi says the survey may have been skewed in favor of certain reformist newspapers, since government subsidies for newsprint and other supplies are tied to the circulation figures. He tells RFE/RL that nevertheless there has been a fall in total newspaper circulation and reformist newspapers lost more circulation than conservative ones. Readers now prefer non-political newspapers, such as Jam-e Jam, published by the government's radio and television monopoly. Heavy censorship and closing of more than 31 newspapers by the judiciary during the past two years appears to have wiped out trust in the existing newspapers. (Mehdi Khalaji)
Regime on Shaky Grounds
* According to the Financial Times Tehran reporter Guy Dinmore, a strong earthquake in Tehran would not only collapse 80 percent of the new structures in the city but would also lead to a sudden fall from power of the Islamic Republic. (Fariba Mavedat)
US Humanitarian Aid to Arrive Tomorrow
* The first planeload of the US humanitarian aid to earthquake victims in Iran is to arrive tomorrow an US-chartered Ugandan airplane. The $300,000 aid includes two water purification plants that can provide safe drinking water for 20,000. (Siavash Ardalan)
Law to Attract and Protect Foreign Investment
* The minister of economy and finance presented to the cabinet the executive directives to the law to attract and protect foreign investment. The new law, approved by the Expediency Council after the Majles and Guardians Council were unable to reach a compromise, protects foreign investors against loss of capital as a result of government actions. RFE/RL's Paris-based economic commentator Fereydoun Khavand says the new law has many shortcomings and ambiguities, but even without the complicated conditions, it cannot change the economic conditions that have already scared away the domestic capital. Last year Iran attracted $160 million in foreign capital, while Turkey attracted $6 billion.
Iranian Refugees in Denmark Rally against New Immigration Law
* Mahmud Qazvini, head of the Denmark branch of the international federation of Iranian refugees, tells RFE/RL that two socialist parties and the Denmark chapter of an international women's rights organization joined the Iranian refugees' federation in a march against the new immigration law that went into effect today. He complains that the new law reduces the entitlements of refugees to a level below that of the general population at least during their first seven years in Denmark. (Golnaz Esfandiari)
WORLD
* Hamas vows to revenge Israel's killing of its military leader. (Jamshid Chalangi)
* US ends contacts with Yasir Arafat. (Jamshid Chalangi)
* US warns of possible terrorist attacks over 4th of July weekend. (Homayoun Majd, Washington)
* Spanish newspaper El Pais quotes Spanish security officials that final planning meeting for the September 11 attacks took place in Spain. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome)
* Morocco begins the trials of 10 Saudi and Moroccan members of al-Qaeda charged with conspiring to blow up NATO ships in the Mediterranean. (Jamshid Chalangi)
* NATO forces begin joint anti-terrorism maneuvers with Armenia. (Mani Kasravi, Moscow)
* Political and corporate leaders can learn lessons in recruiting new talent from the managers of European clubs at the soccer World Cup, writes the Wall Street Journal. (Siavash Ardalan)
* US opposes the International Criminal Court, ratified by 74 nations. Claude Jourda, head of the international court for investigation of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia tells RFE/RL that the future of international justice depends on the International Criminal Court that was inaugurated today in The Hague. (Golnaz Esfandiari)
* In a statement carried by the Financial Times, the director of Human Rights Watch says the US wants to prevent the success of the International Criminal Court. (Fariba Mavedat)
* Denmark assumes the EU presidency on the same day Europe's toughest immigration law goes into effect in Denmark.
* In an article for the Los Angeles Times, Khaled Abolfazl, a UCLA Islamic law professor, says the actions of a few extremists should not deter Muslims from showing a humane face of Islam. (Homayoun Majd, Washington)
ARTS AND IDEAS
Karlovy Vary Film Festival
* In its 38th year, Czech Republic's international Karlovy Vary film festival shows 290 films, including "Sofre-ye Irani" (Persian Spread) by Kianush Ayari. (Golnaz Esfandiari)
Paris-Milan Fashion Rivalry
* Paris aims to replace Milan as the capital of men's fashion. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome)
Songs and Song Makers: Jahanbakhsh Pazuki
* RFE/RL's music critic Mahmud Khoshnam discusses composer-songwriter Jahanbakhsh Pazuki in interviews with Pazuki and Los Angeles-based singer Hushmand Aqili.